Chapter 16

Bea

That had been the best Christmas I’d ever had. We laughed, we danced, we drank, and we cuddled in front of the fire, listening to Brian the bartender read us old Christmas stories from a book he brought with him. It was one of those nights that you hoped would last forever, and that you would probably try to recreate in the future, but never fully be able to catch the exact light that the original had. There were many things in my life that I was thankful for, from my job, to my ability to keep moving in tough situations, but this was the first time that I felt truly thankful for a group of people. Hailey had been my guardian angel, pulling me out of my house and forcing me to open myself up to new experiences. She had stood by the whole time, knowing that Grant was bad for me, voicing it when she could, but knowing that it didn’t matter how hard she pushed me. I wouldn’t see it until I was ready to see it. Her love for me was beyond friendship, and I truly thought of her as my sister.

Cameron had come up to celebrate with us, and although I was nervous about it at first, he opened right up and was just as goofy as Hailey and me. He laughed, danced, and made a fool of himself, singing “I Saw Momma Kissing Santa Claus” with Brian in the middle of the suite floor. Hailey and I could not stop laughing, and I found it to be more than adorable.

When I first decided to ask him to come up and celebrate with us, I was nervous at what he would say. So, to calm those nerves and make sure he couldn’t say no, Hailey put me in one of her 1940s-inspired holiday dresses, curled my hair, and did my makeup. I was impressed and told her maybe investments weren’t her true calling. When I got downstairs, the look on his face was priceless. In the end, it worked out perfectly, and he didn’t even hesitate, making this Christmas unforgettable.

At the end of the night, or really early this morning, Brian was passed out on the couch, Hailey was passed out in her bed, and I didn’t even remember how I got into my bed. I did remember, though, that Cameron was a gentleman and had kissed my hand and stumbled out to go to his room to sleep. I was still laying in the bed, staring at the sunshine illuminating the snow outside my window, when a loud knock to the door shook my head.

“Hold on,” I said in a whisper, stumbling to find my robe.

I stumbled around my bedroom, my head pounding from the insane amount of wine and whiskey that I had consumed the night before. I grabbed the robe out of my bathroom and put it on, tying it tightly around me and looking in the mirror at the mess of curls and smeared makeup. My eyes got big, and I took a wash cloth and quickly dipped it in the water, rubbing my face and pulling my hair into a messy ponytail. I looked like a hungover Christmas Medusa. Finally, I just gave up, figuring whoever it was, they were going to get quite the eyeful when I opened the door.

I walked into the living room, looking over at the couch and giggling at Brian who was sprawled out, half hanging on the couch, the other half on the floor. I tripped over an empty wine bottle and grabbed my foot, hopping forward and grabbing the door handle. I cracked the door and peered out, thankfully seeing Cameron on the other side. I opened the door and grabbed him by the shirt, yanking him inside and closing the door behind us. I leaned back and closed my eyes, trying to stop the room from spinning, but smiling just the same.

“Well, you look well this morning.” He laughed.

“Shh, stop yelling,” I said, holding my temples and pulling myself up and into my bedroom.

“I figured I would find you like this,” he said, quietly shutting the bedroom door. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a girl drink that much whiskey.”

“I don’t think anyone ever has,” I replied, sitting down and looking up at him.

“Well, here,” he said, holding out a paper bag.

“I hope there isn’t whiskey in here,” I said, taking it from him. “That old wives’ tale of curing a hangover with more alcohol doesn’t actually work. I know. I went to college.”

“No.” He laughed. “That is a bacon, egg, and cheese bagel, some Tylenol, and a bottle of water. It’s a hangover cure in a bag.”

“You are a saint,” I said, opening the bag and dumping it out on the bed.

“I need you to be mobile,” he replied. “It’s time for that personal ski day.”

“Do they make wheel chairs with skis?”

“No.” He chuckled. “Eat your sandwich, take a shower, and I promise you will feel much better.”

I looked at him for a moment and shrugged my shoulders, figuring I wasn’t getting out of it, and in reality, I didn’t want to. I ate my bagel and then moved into the shower, smiling at him awkwardly as I closed the door. It felt strange to be naked with just a door between the two of us. I had every plan in the world to sleep with him, but not yet. I showered quickly and dried my hair, so it wouldn’t turn into ice when I went outside. I pulled on my snow pants, a thermal, a sweater, and the thinner, down coat that I had bought. I could move, I didn’t look like a stuffed sausage, and I was excited to get going. I pulled on my ski cap and twisted a scarf around my neck, nodding happily at my reflection.

“Okay,” I said, stepping out. “I’m ready.”

“That is much better than your multilayer, ready for Alaskan ice fishing look,” he joked, grabbing his jacket.

Our day out on the slopes was more amazing than I thought it would be. We started out on the bunny slopes, just working on techniques, talking about what to expect at the next level up, and having him show me some hip movements that would increase my control and movements. I had to admit, feeling him behind me, his hands grasping my hips and moving them where he wanted them, was slightly distracting, and I wasn’t the least bit cold at that point. I could have stayed skiing like that for the rest of the day and never had an issue with it.

After about the sixth run on the bunny slopes, we decided to move up a level and try out the intermediate slopes. I had to admit, they were a bit more daunting than I thought, and I swallowed hard, standing at the top of the slope, not sure I was ready to go plummeting down yet. Cameron walked up beside me and smiled, reaching out and running his finger across my red cheeks.

“You’ve got this,” he said. “And I’ll be right behind you. Remember, if you feel like you are out of control, just sit down. That is the quickest way to stop. I’ll make sure you have no one but me behind you.”

I nodded my head, instantly feeling more confident. It was strange how he was able to push me up, when all I had been used to for the last three years was being pushed down. I had a warm sensation in my chest, and I used that to find my brave. I pushed off and leaned forward, tucking my arms to my side and moving my hips just how he taught me. I was actually doing it, and I had to say I loved every second of it. The cold wind whipped across my skin, and for the first time in a long time, I felt completely alive. However, as I began to approach the bottom, my nerves shot up, and I realized that I had no idea how to stop. I put my poles down and dragged them through the snow, attempting to slow myself down. It was working well, but my knees were getting wobbly, and as I slowly came to a stop at the bottom, I lost my balance and fell straight down on my butt, laughing hard as Cameron slid gracefully down beside me.

“Not the most graceful end.” He laughed. “Nonetheless, you made it down and with amazing form.”

“Well, thank you,” I said, reaching out for his shoulder.

After that, we turned our skis in to the concierge and headed over to the lounge for some hot chocolate and warmth. My cheeks were red, and my hair was windblown, but I felt absolutely amazing. I held the hot cocoa tightly in my hands and sipped at it, the warmth stinging the skin on my hands. Cameron met me at the table and set some warm croissants down in front of us. I picked one up, pulling apart the freshly baked bread and shoving it in my mouth. I was hungrier than I thought.

“So, I was wondering,” he said. “How long are you going to be here?”

“Hailey and I decided to stay through New Year’s,” I said, smiling. “Luckily, the room was available for extension of stay.”

“That is really awesome,” he replied. “So, I was wondering, would you consider being my date for New Year’s? The resort holds this amazing party, and I figured we could get all dolled up in our best black-tie attire and make everyone jealous.”

I smiled and looked over at him, knowing that it sounded like the perfect way to bring in the New Year. I nodded my head, with my cheeks glowing red, and took a sip of my hot cocoa. I had never been to a party like that for New Year’s before, nor had I ever had anyone to ring the New Year’s in with. Grant was always out of town on New Year’s, and I didn’t feel right going out without him, even though it never stopped him from going out without me. This year, though, it looked like I was not only getting to attend an extremely glamorous party, but I was going to be on the arm of one of the handsomest men in the building. I was already excited about it.

“I’ll get the tickets for us today,” he said, smiling. “I’ll get a third ticket for Hailey.”

“She will be very excited,” I said.

“And you?”

“Let’s just say, I’m already wishing that New Year’s Eve was here,” I replied with blushed cheeks.

The rest of the day was spent eating lunch at the restaurant and going back out on the slopes. I had gotten the skiing bug, and now, I regretted not being out there more. I still had a few days left, and now that I felt comfortable, I could go hit the slopes while Cameron was teaching a class, not worried that I was going to eat shit or break an arm. This vacation had turned into something that I hadn’t expected, and I was loving every second of it. Though my time was drawing to a close, I still had New Year’s Eve, and I was going to bring in the New Year with love, lust, and probably a whole lot of alcohol. I felt like a brand-new woman, ready to face my life with optimism and without fear. Now, all I had to do was finish what I had promised Hailey, and that was to sleep with Cameron, enjoy the experience, but not prolong the inevitable. Hopefully, sex with him was going to be the best part of my vacation, and then I would be gone.